Latin: Ixodes ricinus
Most people are acquainted with the tick. The latin name is Ixodes ricinus. The tick may look like an insect, but as it feeds on blood, the animal belongs to the blood mites.
Appearance
Ticks are characteristic in its appearance and is therefore easily recognizable. They are spherical in shape. Ticks has 4 pairs of legs. Their color varies but typically they are bluish gray or grayish yellow. The female has a reddish-brown hind body.
When the adult male tick is fully grown it is 2-3 mm long, while the female is 3-4 mm long. The mentioned size only applies when they have not been feeding. As soon as the tick have feed their size expands incredibly, and a blood-filled female tick can become 1.5 centimeters long. The blood is stored on the hind body in a reddish-brown and leathery skin.
Biology and behavior
The population of ticks varies in Denmark. The reason for this is that they have certain damans to the environment. They are sensitive to desiccation which is why they are found in forests and in low, dense vegetation. They are typically found in forests near by animal tracks.
The development of the tick consists of three stages: larva, nymph, and adult. A blood meal is required at each stage. The total life cycle of ticks is typically two to five years. The larvae are just ½ mm and suck blood from mice. The nymphs are 1 mm long and suck blood from mice and larger mammals such as humans, foxes, deer, and dogs. Adult tick also sucks blood from larger mammals. The tick climbs into vegetation and grabs passing animals, where it bites. Once the tick has taken hold, it will remain in place for five to six days, after which it will fall to the ground and find a hiding place.
Ticks are mainly active during spring and fall. During winter, the tick usually stays under moss or some other form of vegetation. When temperatures drop below five degrees, they are not active.
The development from egg to adult tick, until they can lay eggs, takes about 3 years.
Damage – Lyme disease
A hungry tick crawls up grass straw or similar. Here, the tick can sit without moving for up to a week while waiting for an animal to pass. When an animal passes by, the tick is transferred on to the animal. Hereafter the tick finds a suitable place on the skin, where the skin is thin, and places its mouth parts inside the skin. Normally, neither bite nor bloodsucking is something people can feel.
However, one should be aware that ticks can transmit a bacterium with their bite. This bacterium can cause Lyme disease. Approximately every third tick in the country houses this bacterial, and it can be transmitted to both animals and humans. Thousands of people become infected every year, the consequences of the disease can be severe in the form of heart problems, meningitis, and paralysis. If the infection of borrelia is detected in time, it will be treated with antibiotics, which is effective.
A tick cannot transmit the bacterium the first few hours after the bite. Therefore, it is important to remove the tick as soon as possible. If you get a red rash that spreads, are feeling tired, have headaches or muscle aches in the hours after you have been bitten, contact a doctor.
Prevention, control, and treatment
It is not possible to control ticks in the wild or gardens due to unforeseen environmental consequences and lack of products. It is difficult to prevent the presence of ticks. However, it can be a good idea to remove vegetation like tall grass and the like.
To avoiding the ticks, walk on roads and paths in the forests. One should not go through high vegetation and scrub. If you walk in terrains with high vegetations, cover your legs and arms with clothes and wear rubber boots.
The most important way to look for tick bites is by checking animals and humans after a walk in the forest. The ticks seek out the thin skin and hidden areas, so you should inspect armpits, kneecaps, groins and behind the ears.
If a tick has bitten, it will be rigidly attached. Normally, the tick can be pulled out without any problems by grabbing the animal right down to the skin. It is a good idea to use special pliers or tweezers for the purpose. If a part of the mouth stays in the skin not much will happen. Redness or inflammation may occur, but this has nothing to do with the transferred disease. Like a splinter, the mouthpiece remnants will come out by themselves over time.
"Pests in House and Home"
"Bed Bugs - Bites, Stings and Itches"
"Food Pests"
"Husets dyreliv" (Insects Around the House - Only danish)
"Skadedyr i træ" (Timber Pests - Only danish)
"Stuefluen" (Common Housefly - Only danish)